Metal bending and straightening machine



Feb. 14, 1928. 1,659,181

w. P. wooms METAL BENDING AND STRAIGHTENING MACHINE ATTORNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W. P. WOODS METAL BENDING AND STRAIGHTENING MACHINE Filed Dec. 12, 1924 Fb.14,l928.

. Wggduj'l INVENTQR,

AronNEY www. Svi l Patented Feb. 14, 1928.

duirrzo srarss PATENT OFFICE.

winnaar woons, or BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, AssIGNoR yro JAMES n. MGWANE, or' BraMrn'GHAM, ALABAMA.

METAL BENDIVNG AND STRAIGHTENING MACHINE.

Application led December 12, 1921i.` Serial No. 755,526.

This invention relates to metal bending and straightening machines.

The object is to provide a machine for use in bending metal bars, pipes, rails or other analogous metal bodies ot elongated form wherein it is desired to give only a 'slight bending` action tor the purpose ot' straighteningg` the same; and the invention is ldesigned especially toruse in pipe foundries for the purpose ot str:tightening` metal core bars which have become defective through roughusage` warping or other causes.

Another object is to provide a simply and cheal'ilf,7 constructed machine :tor this purpose which may be readily set up to occupy a minimum amount ot space. the underhung forni ot' structure bringing certain parts close to the ground level and enabling the same to be located within a. pit formed tor the purpose, thus providing a very low structure with no superimposed parts to hinder the application ot core bars or the like to the machine ttor straightening the same or their removal therefrom, and permit-tinganunobstructed view at the top of the core bar to.

enable the operator to sight along the same to detect irregularities therein.

A further object is to provide means in connection with the bending means proper 'whereby abutment blocks or anvils may be interposed between the main support of the machine and the core bar or other work t0 be straightened, so as to confine the bendable area ot the same close to the bending means, and to enable the operator to remove said bloc-hs or anvils so that a general bendingor straightening' of' the bar from end to end may be obtained.

A final object is to provide a stron),` and durable machine ot this character `wherein a single operator, whopniay be seated at one end of the machine. may direct or guide the core bar into position on the machine, may readilyv move the bending; mechanism in either direction longitudinally oit' the core bar to locate the same over a bend or hump,

may readily revolve the core bar to bring such bend or hump on t-he top thereof to a position where it may be most easily and quickly detect-ed, and may readily control hydraulic means for imparting a powerful downward pull on the bending means to straighten the core bar.

A full and complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from a. consideration of the following detailed description, n

rial departure. from `the salient features of the invention, as specilically pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, in which similar reference characters designate parts throughout the several figures Figure l is a side elevation oi' the improved bending machine;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view, some parts beingomitted;

Figure l is a detail vertical section through the operating cylinder;

Figure 5 is a detail vperspective view showing;r the manner of mounting vthe control valve; i

Figure 6 is a detail section showing the manner of supporting;- the pressure hose;

Figure 7 is a horizontal section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 1.l

Referring` to thedrawings there is shown a main supportingmember in the form oi a `length of Lbeam l, which is preferably formed of a large size so as to provide suthcient strength to withstand the heavy strains incident to the straightening of pipes, core bars, rails, etc. y

The form of the machine shown and described herein is that used in the treatment of core bars, but it will be clear that the other articles mentioned may also be treated thereon. y

The I-beam l isof a length to accommodate the maximum length ot core bars, and by the adjustment of certainparts to be described, may be adapted for use on shorter length bars. The beam is elevated and supcorresponding ported somewhat above the ground level by end sills 2, preferably `formed of wood and to which the beam isrigidly Jfastened by of the beam, and a shallow pitor trench 4 is formed in the ground between said sills for the purpose ot accommodating certain depending parts ol? the device, and which enables the top part ol the machine to be kept relatively close to the groundleycl, thus econornizingin overhead space and providing a machine well beneath the eye level ol the operator, even while the latter is seated at one end ot the machine.

Secured to the top tace ol" the upper flanges ot the Lbeam l, and located over the sills 2, are core bar seats or pillow blocks 5 formed oi" suitable hard metal, and ,having their lower portions secured to adjustable head blocks (5 provided with suitable flanges at the base thereof for the reception ot' bolts or other fasteners 7, which hold the head blocks in position on the beam l. One ot the head blocks, say thelett hand one as viewed in Figure 1 of the drawings, may be adjusted toward oraway from the opposite end tor the purpose ol adapting the saine for supporting longer or shorter core bars.

rlChe core bar S is provided near its -bell end with the usual annular groove 9, Which rests in the arcuate seat ot the adjacent pillow block, While the elongated, iinpertorate portion 8 at the opposite or spigot end of the core bar is adapted to rest within the seat 5 at that endo'l the machine.

i Transverse plates 10 and l1 are held together beneath the undertace ot the loWer llanges of the I-beain by means of side plates 1:2, which are bolted to the saine and have their inner opposed edges in close proximity to the edges ol said flanges (Figs. 1 and 2).

l3olted to the underside ot the plate l0, which is somewhat longer than the plate 11, is a hydraulic c ylinder 13 of suitable construction, While the said plate 11 carries a pair of downwardly extending` and inwardly directed arms lll, preferably formed ol' a single length ot suitable iron and constituting hangers, the lower ends of Which are in close relation to each other and provided with alined pivot openings.

.A piston rod l5 extending through the lower end of the cylinder 13, is connected by a pair of linlts 1G to one end of a horizontally disposed lever 17, which is tulcrunied at its opposite end between the lower ends oi the aforesaid hangers lll, by means ot a pivotal bolt 18, said lever being located Wit-hin the trench or pit 1, as shown in Figu ure 1 ot the drawings. l

Opposite vertical pull bars 19 are located at each side ot the I-beam 1, in close proximity to the outer free edges of the upper and lower flanges thereof, the said pull bars extending up above the upper face of the said beam or support l, and passing through suitable slots in the side plates 12, are bent below the latter so as to approach each other, Where they are held in rigid spaced relation by cross bolts 20 having suitable spacing* sleeves, and at the lower ends are adapted to receive the aforesaid lever lj' at an interi'nediate point ot the saine, to which they are piyotally connected by a pin lllithin the cylinder and ctmnectcd to the rod l5, which passes through a lelaiufl Q15. is the usual piston adapted to be actuated in a Vertical direction by llu'd under pi' ure entering through one or the other olf upper and lower ports and 25, respectively mounted in the heads ot' the cylinder and connected to lluid supply hose QU, passing back on opposite sides of the I-beain or main support to the operators end ot the saine, as shown to the righi` in Figure 1 oli' the draw ings.

The plates lll, 11 and 12 being; joined together and adapted to move together torni, in effect, a carriage slidable on the I-beani troni one end to the other ot the pit Al, and when said carriage is moved, by means to he described, to a position remote troni the operator, the supply hose is extended, and when the said carriage is drawn in the opposite direction, said hose .is prevented lfriluu rullini into the pit, to interli'ere with the passage ot the depending parts ot the can riage and troni becoming entangled other Wise, by means of hangers 27 ridingl along beneath the lower face ol the I-lieain and suspended by rollers 2S beiu'inun on the lower flanges ot' the saine, the hose being held to the hangers by suitable clipsl E29, as clearly shown in Figure G.

The hose 26 extends to the operations end ol the machine, where they are in coniuiui'li cation with a three-Way ralve ltl, mounted on a laterally L'nt'tendiiu;r plate lll liuilted to the under tace ot one oli' the upper flanges of the I-beain and at the esti-cinc end thereof. rlhc valve 3U is provided with a supply hose and an exhaust port 33, the valve proper being under control o li' the o}u=rati1ir by means o1 a handle 34, which may be turned to admit fluid pressure through the valve and into the upper inlet port 2l ol" the cylinder lo torce the pistou downwardly, at which time the valve 3l) permits the lower port 25 ot the cylinder to exhaust the lower portion thereof through the opljiosite hose 2li out tlu'ough the exhaust port Ell-l to the atnirfispherii, and by inovil'ig thc handle in the oi'ipositc direction, the lluid under prcssure is adn'iitted to the lower oyliiider port to litt the piston and the upper port thin'eol exhausts into the atn'losphere thriiupjh .said exhaust port 33.

In order to render easy the passages ol the aforesaid carriage liacliwardly and .torirarih ly, the same suspeiuled by oi'ipositc pairs l ot hangers in the torni ol" angle plates 3h, securely bolted to the 'liront and rear inar- `ginal portions ol. the plates 10 and. ll resiiectiyely, said hangers having antit`rietion rollers 36 mounted thereon toride upon the llll power means, the bending means, and the anvil blocks along the entire length of the article.

Q. A metal bending machine, comprising a longitudinal supporting member, supports located at the ends of said member to support the article to be bent, a traine slidably mounted on said member, power means carried by said trame, bending means connected to said power means and engaging over the top of said article, anvil blocks located at euch side of the bending means and engaging beneath said article, connecting means between said blocks and said bending means, said connecting means having two movements at right angles to each other, permitting the bending means to move downwardly without atlecting the position ot the blocks, and also supporting the blockswvlien swung outwardly in a horizontal plane from beneath the article when it is desired to bend the article from end to end, and means for moving said slidable trame, the power means, the bending n'ieans and said anvil blocks as a unit along said article.

A metal bending machine comprising a longitudinal support, pillow blocks lnounted thereon for supporting the article to be bent, a depending cylinder having a piston and mounted to slide along the support, means pivoted beneath the support to slide with the cyliinler and having connection with the piston, vertically slidable pull bars pivoted to said means, and a bending bail pivoted at one end to one of the vertical pull hars and adapted to be swungl over said article and engaged with the other pull bar to bend the article downwardlyT when the piston is aca tuated.

l. il metal bending machine comprising a longitudinal support, pillow blocks mounted thereon ior supporting the article to be bent, a depending cylinder having a piston and mounted to slide along the support, means piif'oted beneath the support to slide with the cylinder and having connection with the piston, vertically slidable pull bars pivoted to said means. and a bending bail pivoted at one end to one of the vertical pull bars and adapted to be swung over said article and en gaged with the other pull bar, longitudinal arms carriedby said pull bars, and anvil blocks swivelled to the outer ends otsaid arms and adapted to rest on the longitudinal support and to bear against the article ad jacent to the bending bail to support the article when the bail is pulled downwardly b v the action ol the said piston.

A metal bending machine comprising a longitudinal support, pillow blocks n'iounted thereon for supporting the article to be bent, a depending cylinder having a piston and mounted to slide along the support, means pivoted beneath the support to slide with the cylinder and having connection with the piston, vertically slidable pull barspivoted to said means, and a bending bail pivoted at one end to one ot the vertical pull bars and adapted to be swung over said article and engaged 4with the other pull bar, ears formed on the upper end ot said pull bars, ifertically su'ivelled bloclis mounted between the ears, lmigitudimilly disliosed arms horizi'n'itally pivoted at their .inner ends to said blocks and having horizontal slots at their outer ends, and anvil bloclue liorii/.mitallj,7 pivoted in said slots and normally resting upon the longitudinal support in iliosition to bear against the underside ot' the article to permit the pull bars and bending bail to move downwardly under the action of the piston.

G. A metal bending machine ironiprising a longitudinal support, pillow blocks mounted thereon tor supporting the article to be bent, a depending cylinder having a piston and mounted to slide along the siiiuiort, means pivoted beneath the stiiiiport to slide with the cyliiulei' and having conncctiiui with the piston, vertically eiidable pull bars iivoted to said means, and a bonding bail pivoted at one end to one ot the vert-ical pull bars and adapted to be swung` over said article and engaged with the` other pull bar, lorwardly and rearwardly exteni'liug arms carried by said pull bars, universal joints connecting the saine thereto at points above the longitudinal support, auvil lilciiclfs .swivelled to lthe outer ends of said arma and adapted to bear between the longitudinal support and said article, said blot-lts boing' adapted to permit the vertical movement ol? the pull bars, to slide longitudiuallyVT therewith or to be swung laterall v :1nd oil ot the longitud'inal support when it desired to give the article a general bond from end to end.

7. A metal bendingmachine, comprising a longitudinal supporting member, opstanding article supports located at the ends o1 said men'il'ier, a 'trame slidal'ily mounted on the supporting nieiulgier, a vertical, depend ing cylinder carried by the trame, a hanger carried by the `traine :uljaccnt the cylinder, a piston provided with a piston rod and mounted in the cylinder. a lover connected at its terminals to the piston rod and the hanger, an opstanding. slidable yoke connected at. its lower end to an intermediate part ol the lerer, a bail connected to the upper end ot the yoke and adapted to be locked over the article to be bent, and means for controlling tluid pressure in the cylinder to cause the bail to hond the article.

tl. A metal bondiiig machine, comprising an elongated main suiipoi't, article rests located at each end thereo'l` u cz'irriage mounted to slide longitudimilly along the main support, a cylinder and a hanger depending from the carriage in spaced relation, a piston rod extending from the lower end ot' Sill the cylinder, means connecting thewhanger and the piston,pull bars also connected at their lower ends to said connecting means and extending upwardly in straddling relation to and above the-niacin support, a swinging bending bail pivoted to the upper end of one pull bar and having detachable connection `with the other to permit the same to bridgetlie article, anvil blocks carried by one pull bar and universally jointedithereto to bear under the article and upon the main suiiport to confine the bending action oit the bail, means located at one endof the sup` port tor moving the carriage in either drection.` y

il. t bendinginaehine comprising a main support termed ot' an -beam adapted to be supported at each end, means on eachend tor supporting the article to be bent, a carriage arranged below and `having wheels adapted to roll along the lower tlanges ot the beam, bending means mounted to slide vertically and adapted to engage over the article, means tor exerting a downward pull on said bending means and controllable trom one end oi the l-beam, spaced anvil blocks to con'line the bendable area ot the work and removable trom the latter to giveA a general bending, said blocks being mounted on the top oit' said -beain, and means for moving the carriage with the bending means and the blocks, said moving means being located at one end oit said beam to enable the operator to sight along the article and move the bending means to the point desired 10. A metal bending machine comprising an l-beam, means at the ends ot said beam tor supporting the article to be bent, a carriage suspended trom the lower flanges ot said beam and movable along the same, power means n'iounted on said carriage, pulling means connected to said power means and also movable with said carriage, bending means connected to said pulling means and engaging over the top ot said article, anvil blocks mounted between the top ot the beam and the underside ot said article at each side ot said bending means, means tor moving said carriage with said pulling means, and power means and bending means along said article.

11. A metal bending machine, comprising a main longitudinal support having end pillow bloclrs to support the article to be bent, a carriage mounted to slide longitudinally along the supportn vertical pull bars mounted to slide vertically through the carriage at either side ot the said support, a detachable, transverse bending bail carried at the upper ends of the bars and adapted to engage the work, controllable :means supported by the carriage iter forcing the bars downwardly, means tor shitting the carriage along the longitudinal support, abutment blocks adjustable with the carriage, and arms for supporting the bloeksiand permittingthe same to .be 'swung in a horizontal plane into or out ot engagement with `the `longitudinal support andthe work. l

l2. In a metal bending' machine, the combination with a beam, means aty the ends of said beam for supporting the article to be bent, bending means having an element engaging over the `top ot said article, swingable anvil blocks mounted on top vOt the beam and engaging the undersidev ot said article at each side of said bending means, and connecting devices between the bending means and said anvil blocks, said connecting .devices being flexibly connected to permit bending means whereby the bending means may be given an up-and-down movement to bend the article without affecting the position of the anvil blocks, and whereby said blocks may be swung laterally in a horizontal plane trom beneath the said article and supported when it is desired tobend said article trom end to end.

14. In a metal bending machine, the combination ofa beam, means at the ends of said beam tor supporting the article to be bent, bending means having an element engaging over the top of said article, means for mounting said bending means so that the same may be moved longitudinally along said article, anvil blocks mounted on top of said beam and engaging the underside of said article at each side of said bending meansand connecting devicesbetween said bending meansv and said anvil blocks for permitting the bending means to be moved vertically without affecting the position of said anvil blocks, and also permitting said anvil blocks to be moved laterally in a horizontal plane out ot engagement with said article and supporting the same when it is desired to bend. said article from end toiend, said connecting devices including two distinct pivotal movements, one vat right angles to the other.

15. A metal bending machine comprising a beam, means at the ends ot said beam for supporting the article to be bent, spaced anvil blocks mounted on top of said beam and engaging the underside ot said article, bending means located between said anvil blocks and having an element engaging over the top of said article, means for flexibly conmeeting the blocks to the bending means, and means for turning said article, ali of said means, except the element engaging` over the top of said article"1 being located below the latter so that an operator may eight along said article without having his vision interfered with by any part of the bending machine. i i

1G. A bending machine Comprising an elongated supporting' beam, a :trame mount ed beneath the beam and slidabliT `connected thereto; a depending; preaeure cylinder carried by the 'trame at one end thereof and havingA a vertically movable piston therein, hannere carried by the other end of the frame, alener terminally connected to the lower ends of the hangers and to the piston rod respectively, vertical pull bare connected at their lower ende to the Said lever at an intern'iediate point of the saine and arranged in straddling relation to the beam, a bending bail detachabl)y hinged at each end to the upper ends of the pull bars and adapted to be swung to one side or the other, terminal work supports mounted on the beam to support a pipe or bar to be straightened, means for turning the pipe or bar on tbe supports5 means for reciproeating;- the carriage or frame along?T the beam, means for supplying and controlling)T inid pressure within the cylinder, anvil blocks adapted to rest upon the beam in equal spaced relation to thebail and to support the pipe or bar after the bail has been hooked over the same. and Swingingr arms each harina` one end flexibly connected to one et the bloelie and the other end flexibly connected to the upper end of one o'll the pull bare to permit the blocks to be swung to one eide and to permit downward movement of the bail when preseure is admitted to the upper end of the cylinder.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature.

WILLIAM P. WOODS. 

